Cloud Solutions Architect

Location: Brussels, Belgium

Company: Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) Belgium

Employment Type: Full-time

Nature of the Tasks

• Design and implement cloud solutions that meet business objectives, with defined operational Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for availability, reliability, and performance, and clear ownership boundaries.
• Manage and optimize cloud infrastructure and operations against defined Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for cost, performance, and availability, adhering to operational excellence best practices.
• Conduct cost analysis and monitor cloud expenses using Financial Operations (FinOps) practices, including budgeting, forecasting, rightsizing, and implementing showback/chargeback models.
• Ensure security, compliance, and data protection through the implementation of the shared responsibility model, zero-trust principles, encryption, and adherence to relevant compliance frameworks (e.g., General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)).
• Automate cloud processes and workflows using scripting and tools.
• Troubleshoot and resolve cloud-related issues to maintain service levels and meet defined operational Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for availability and reliability.
• Collaborate with development teams to support cloud-based applications.
• Evaluate and recommend new cloud services and technologies to enhance capabilities, improve efficiency, and reduce costs while aligning with architectural standards.
• Create and maintain comprehensive documentation for cloud systems, architectures, and operational processes to ensure knowledge sharing and operational continuity.
• Manage the end-to-end cloud architecture, development, and migration lifecycle, including strategy definition, landing zone design, networking, data migration planning, and execution via detailed runbooks.
• Provide cloud expertise and support to stakeholders and teams.
• Establish cloud landing zones with governance guardrails (e.g., policies, tagging, Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)) and a well-defined environment hierarchy to ensure security and compliance.
• Implement comprehensive observability (monitoring, logging, tracing), incident response processes, and disaster recovery/business continuity plans (DR/BCP) with defined Recovery Time and Point Objectives (RTO/RPO).

Specific Expertise and Technologies

• Proficiency in cloud platforms such as AWS, Azure, or OVH.
• Knowledge of virtualization technologies (e.g., VMware, Hyper-V) to design and manage hybrid and cloud-hosted infrastructures.
• Knowledge of containerization tools such as Docker and Kubernetes.
• Knowledge of Infrastructure as Code tools (e.g., Terraform, AWS CloudFormation, Azure Bicep) to automate provisioning and enforce guardrails.
• Understanding of networking concepts and services in a cloud environment.
• Knowledge of cloud security standards and compliance frameworks (e.g., CIS Benchmarks, ISO 27001, GDPR) to ensure secure cloud operations.
• Experience with cloud monitoring and optimization tools.
• Proficiency in scripting languages such as Python, Bash, or PowerShell.
• Knowledge of DevSecOps practices and tools (e.g., CI/CD pipelines, GitLab, AWS CodeCommit, Azure DevOps) to integrate cloud with delivery processes.
• Familiarity with database services in the cloud, such as RDS or Cloud SQL.
• Knowledge of advanced cloud services (e.g., AI/ML, BI/DWH, DevSecOps, serverless computing) and SaaS offerings (e.g., Power Platform, ServiceNow) for enterprise adoption.

Minimum Level of Expertise

Normal

Certifications and Standards

Mandatory for Normal Level:

• At least one Associate-level (or higher) certification from AWS, Microsoft, or another cloud provider, in a domain directly related to the request.

Mandatory for Advanced/Senior Level (AWS):

• An AWS Professional-level certification and at least one AWS Specialty certification, both in domains directly related to the request.

Mandatory for Advanced/Senior Level (Other):

• A Professional-level (or higher) cloud certification from a provider (e.g., Google, CompTIA Cloud+, Cloud Certified Professional) in a domain directly related to the request.

Skills

• Ability to diagnose and resolve cloud infrastructure issues, ensuring reliability and performance.
• Flexibility to adopt emerging cloud services, frameworks, and tools quickly.
• Competence in managing multiple cloud initiatives, resources, and environments.
• Ability to evaluate options, design cost-effective architectures, and align with organisational goals.
• Commitment t